Paper Jewels

Here’s a great example of indie design - fab style - and recycling too! This dress is from Amanda Vaughn-Redmon on etsy.

First and foremost of course, is that it’s a great-looking dress - it would be fun and flattering to wear!

Equally important in my book - she makes her garments in the U.S. (North Carolina) and she uses recycled/repurposed clothing for all or part of them. Of course that makes each garment one-of-a-kind, which is terrific too

Think about it - this is style at its best. It looks great, those fabrics would feel good and be super easy to care for (here, she’s used an old t-shirt, and slinky drapy poly knit) - and she’s taking what would otherwise be tossed away, and turned it into something fabulous.

Talk about a feel-good dress! Love it

I’m always looking for paper inspiration and goodies, right? And in my recent quest I found this yummy vintage skirt. The vendor is calling the print, “Paper Roses”, which is how I found it. Serendipity! It’s so fun to find surprises that are as cute as this one - and as affordable

“Paper Roses” Vintage Skirt from kellyemeraldhart at Etsy

Of course once I found her shop I had to look around. She’s got really good prices, vintage skirts and dresses I’m definitely going to check out, and some goodies that I thought were both attractive and really interesting. Take a look at this artwork:

Polaroid into Prints - from kellyemeraldhart at Etsy

She’s taken her own polaroids - and turned them into larger prints. You can buy a pack (as in this listing) or get each one separately for only $2.00! I love the water-color-ish look of them - and the uniqueness - and of course the price!

Original artwork - and vintage pretties - this is a great shop you definitely want to visit

P.S. AND she’s having a sale!

A bucket, you say? Now wait, it is MUCH cooler than you’re thinking.

If you’re like me, you always need places to PUT things. You need to get more organized. You don’t want to spend a lot of money but you want whatever it is that’s doing the organizing, to look good. And you’d be thrilled to do it yourself - if you just knew how.

So take a look at this absolutely terrific burlap “bucket” - container - catchall - magazine holder - tote - you name it:

DIY Burlap Bucket or Tote - PDF Instructions from Designsmayamde on Etsy
No this is not my idea - this is a wonderful tutorial available for only $9.00 from Designsmayamade on Etsy

Think how many ways you could use this. In every room - in colors made to coordinate and look good with what you’ve already got. You can do it yourself. You could use all kind of great recycled fabrics!

And she offers online help if you need it!

Talk about a color lift! And I’m not talking about your roots here. I’m talking about a shot of color you could use every day - red is the “new neutral”. This would be a happy-making bag!

You know I think vintage is the best shopping ever. And when I find a goodie like this, I want to share! You can see the quality (and there’s several pics, so you get a good look).

This particular bag may or may not be sold by the time you go peek, but this seller - RiffRaffReview on Etsy - has lots of goodies - and more on the way. Check it out!

I’m one of those people who makes stuff. I sew, I do crafts, I make things for the house, etc etc. And I’m fairly knowledgeable about fabric. Felt is a fabric that used to be made out of, well, smushed up wool leftovers. It’s always offered great vivid colors, but it ‘pills’ and frays and it’s not sturdy, so oh well.

But! I have been re-educated here. Not only have I found some great colors in oh-so-useful felt, but it is made ENTIRELY from recycled stuff - even better, from recycled bottles! They’ve made a soft fabric - from bottles. And it’s not expensive!

The colors are clear and vivid - and from what the vendor writes, the fabric does NOT fray or fall apart in the wash. (Old-style felt, forget it, you wouldn’t dare toss it in the washer). And she has it in many colors! And she even has it in this camoflauge pattern!

Camouflage felt fabric!
Now honestly, that wouldn’t be my personal choice - but lots of people would love it (imagine a pillow made with this felt, sitting on your couch in the den).

I will happily promote this vendor - K and C Supplies on Etsy. She is finding / sourcing / selling a product that is not only entirely recycled, but it’s pretty and soft and nice!

Talk about the best of all possible products. Go buy some!

If it’s going to be cold - and it is - you might as well find a few luxurious, warm, comforting ways to cope. This
Cashmere Scarflette from Jujugold on Etsy
is a beautiful way to keep warm.

Hey, times are tough - if we can manage a few little luxuries, it makes the whole world seem a little better.

And look at that color!

Okay, I totally fell off the edge of the world for a while there, and I am super later with this rec than I meant to be. (And am apologizing big time for that.) But it’s totally worth waiting for.

I was fortunate enough to be a sponsor for several Totally Tutorial projects through my jewelry supplies shop on Etsy. And I am blown away by the excellence of the tutorials submitted to me.

Case in point: this is probably the best tutorial for Chain Maille I have ever seen. I have some skill making jewelry, but maille has always eluded me - and this tutorial made me WANT to try it. The artist and author Clair (of the wonderful Obstinate Pursuit blog) has given us a delightful, witty, comprehensible tutorial on how to Maille.

Check it out and let me - and her! - know how totally irresistible it is! And send her some congrats, too - she did a great job in creation *and* explanation!

PS Check out the Totally Tutorial Blog too - lots and lots of goodies there!

Would you like to win FREE jewelry supplies - create a jewelry tutorial - and get your name out there? Keep reading!

One of the hats I wear is proprietor of Weekend Jewelry1 on Etsy - you already know I sell my extra supplies there, and some lovely vintage glass jewels, vintage chain, and other goodies that I find in my travels. Like these:

and

I just learned that a charming lady on Etsy has started a blog that is all tutorials - Totally Tutorials Blogspot. Her blog is full of techniques we can learn, and new goodies we can make ourselves!

Now this is a generous and lovely idea anyway, and then she came up with one even nicer - she’s asked some shops at Etsy if they’d supply goodies to make the creations in the tutorials. So - an artist gets to play with new (free!) supplies, AND teach us how she made her creation! And of course, the vendor gets credit too.

If you have a skill you’d like to share, and you’ve always wanted to make a tutorial and get your name out there - this is your chance! Go to Totally Tutorials to learn more about the tutorials. Or read this post to learn how you can win

Of course I couldn’t resist. Weekend Jewelry1 on Etsy is going to contribute FREE supplies to three winning artists!

How To Win!

There will be three, count ‘em, three lucky winners!

You have a week to apply - all three winners will be chosen Thursday night, August 13, 2009. The only requirements for winning are that you make jewelry, can take clear photos of your work and create a tutorial, and that you have a blog or site (such as Craftster) where you can post the tutorial.

To be eligible, please post a comment on my blog here, or send me a convo through my Etsy shop telling me you want to be a Tutorial winner! Tell me what goodies you would like to win. You can select any supplies I have, up to a $12.00 retail value!

Please also include a link to the site where you will post your tutorial.

One note - if I’m almost out of something, I may ask you to make another selection. Or, if the winner before you selected exactly the same components, I’ll ask you to choose other pieces.

You don’t even have to pay for shipping. And yes, international artists are eligible!

I’ll contact the winners late Thursday night on August 13, 2009. If I don’t hear back from you by Saturday, August 15, I’ll pick another winner. So if you’re not going to be reachable, please tell me AHEAD OF TIME so I know why I haven’t heard back from you.

Please make your jewelry - and your tutorial - as soon as possible after receiving your supplies (no more than a couple of weeks, please). Post the tutorial, and include a link to my shop in the tutorial, letting people know where you got your supplies!

Send me the link to your new tutorial, so I can link to it from my shop - and show off the creation made with my supplies.

Please also send the link to Totally Tutorials Blogspot so she can post it too!

I think that’s it. Remember, there will be three winners - at no charge, even for the shipping. It’ll be easy peasy - and fun - and a cool way to get your name out there!

Still have questions? Visit Totally Tutorials Blogspot or my Weekend Jewelry Etsy shop and ask!

I found a wonderful artist on Etsy who does lovely paper work - check these out!

You can buy these in kit form and assemble them yourself, or have a custom bouquet made for your wedding. They’ll never wilt, they’ll always be beautiful, and they are artisan made. Gorgeous!

You know I love paper, and sometimes a real, honest-to-goodness paper note is just the thing to send to a friend. Email is fine but you can’t hold it or tuck it in your purse or flourish it when you give it to somebody.

Sometimes you want to send a note, or at least a card, that’s sort of special and a little bit different. I found some totally cute cards I wanted to share. I was going to say “adorable” but that word implies cutesy, and these are cute - but not cutesy. (Maybe that’s a fine distinction but it’s a real one to me!)

If I got this in the mail it would totally give me a smile. And it’s printed on recycled cardstock, which is a (necessary to me) bonus.

She has lots more goodies to check out at her Etsy shop - go look!